


Black Mercy

by D_writes



Series: Supercorp that were supposed to be one shots but who am I kidding [5]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Black Mercy, F/F, Lena is more extra than ususal, Lillian is the villain we love to hate, SuperCorp, endless Lena's stream of consciousness on how gay she is for Kara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-24 19:12:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9781163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/D_writes/pseuds/D_writes
Summary: Set after 2x12Lena goes back to Lex's lab to check there's nothing left to harm Supergirl. Unfortunately, Lillian is there, waiting for her to use her DNA open the case of the only weapon that survived the explosion: the Black Mercy.As Supergirl is fighting and losing against the Cyborg, Lena decides she'll sacrifice herself for the hero and lets the Black Mercy take her. After all, in leaving reality for a perfectly happy dream she's got nothing to lose and everything to gain.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I read a post on tumblr about this but couldn't find it again so sorry if it's your prompt!

**Monday, 9.43pm**

_She lingered._

_Did she?_

_Yeah, she probably lingered._

Lena sits back on her sofa, fidgeting with a chess piece. She can't stop thinking that she should have released Kara from that hug half a second earlier. But her scent wasn’t her usual. Lena knows the brand of shampoo Kara uses, and which fabric conditioner - she made sure she asked, as casually as possible - and now her bedsheets have the same fresh, delicate perfume. But today there was a new note to it, and not unfamiliar. Apricots and honey. The scent of the flowers she sent her. 

Almost like she held one of the bouquets close to her chest.

Lena personally went to the florist to pick the composition, then asked for twelve identical ones to be delivered to Kara's office. Now that she thinks about it may have been little too much: the florist asked how many people were invited to the gala. She wonders what the delivery guys thought when they realised there was no party, only a windowless office with a bare desk and a framed pictures of Kara and her sister. 

_Who cares what they think._

For all she knows, they probably think she was somehow threatening the reporter. That’s what Luthors do, after all. They send subtle messages, then not-so-subtle messages, then try to kill you in your sleep. Or on a plane. Or on a helicopter. Or-

Lena shakes her head, hoping to shake all her thoughts away at the same time. It doesn't work. The ghost of Kara Danvers's presence is still in the room. She stands up, she looks at Lena's open arms inviting her - _God, why did she have to ask for a hug at all? -_ and leans in, fully, flushing her body against hers, holding her. Lena almost feels her embrace on her skin all over again, she can still smell the shampoo mixed with flowers and something that's uniquely Kara Danvers.

Well, not  _uniquely_.There’s another person in National City with the exact same scent, and Kara must have realised by now that Lena _knows_. Lena knows the arms that flew her back home are the same that were wrapped around her a few minutes ago. 

And, of course, she _had_ to make that joke.

When they were in boarding school, Roulette used to say Lena would rather lose a friend than miss a joke. And boy did she lose some. Her humour has always been sharp and quick, and if she’s managed to tune it down it’s only thanks to years of business school and Lilian’s glares. It took a while, but she finally managed to stop herself from spilling her witty comebacks and upset old rich men. 

Of course, when she’s around a certain reporter every good intention goes out of the window. Her mind goers blank and she ends up saying the first thing that comes to her mind.

_“Well, I am human.”_

Thank God Kara is the most clueless soul in the entire planet. Lena’s been accidentally dropping hints that she knows about her secret identity since they’ve met. But how can she tell Kara that she’s known about Supergirl since the days she was close to her brother? That Lex knew all along? That she was next on his hit list, and has been for years?

Lena does a mental summary of her idiocy.

She found herself lost for words when she offered her those damn donuts. She made a joke about her being human. She lingered into Kara’s hug for a second too long. After she called her 'her hero'. She relapsed into her flirty self, which is her classic coping mechanism.

Which feels _wrong._

Because Kara is her only friend, and she deserves Lena to drop the mask and act like a goddam decent person, not put up the usual power play. 

Lena is confused. She feels both too controlled and too out of control around Kara. And yeah, it's scary, but it's also _exciting_. Because Kara laughed, and Kara blushed, and Kara looked down and touched her glasses in that adorable way. Lena had asked for advice, which she never does. She told her things she’s never revealed to anyone. And truly, she's started doing it from the moment they met. Maybe she did it to even the field. She knows so much about Kara, and Kara knows so little about her. 

Lena knew so much about Kara when they met, that it only took that brief encounter for her to start falling in love, and she hasn't stopped since. It’s almost embarrassing.

But tonight she thinks she may have a chance. Because Lena lingered, but she was still the one who broke the embrace. She flirted, but Kara flirted back. She talked, and Kara listened.

_Or is her bar set too low? Is a little attention and care all it takes for Lena Luthor to put her hopes up? Isn't this what friendship is?_ Just _friendship?_

Just because Kara’s also lost her entire family, just because she’s trying to move away from her relative’s shadow, just because Kara seem to understand _exactly_ how Lena feels, it doesn’t make them closer. Kara tries her best to comfort her without revealing too much, and Lena feels she’s making her jump through useless hoops just to be her friend. 

And Kara’s jumping through all of them.

That’s why Lena needs to check. She needs to go back to Lex lab and make sure everything has been destroyed. 

\- - -

**Tuesday, 6:58pm**

“Kara! So nice to see you,” Lena is about to leave her office when the reporter shows up at her door, “What can I do for you?"

“Where you on your way out? I’m sorry, you normally work so late and-"

“Don’t worry,” Lena sits back on her chair “It’s nothing urgent.”

“Well, in that case I just need a quote… yesterday was a friendly visit but my boss is still breathing on my neck for an exclusive about… what happened."

“Of course,” Lena does her best to hide the disappointment, but she should know Kara has a job and it's probably what’s keeping her sane, “and you can rest assured I won't give any other interview on the subject.”

Kara beams, and Lena's smile mirrors her. She can't help it.

Kara’s very tactful. She settles for five questions, but makes sure two can be answered with yes or no. She gets a quote - actually she gets two, because when Lena goes over the recent events with her mother she feels so much anger surging that she rambles for a good five minutes, at the end of which Kara comments: “I’m just going to quote that last sentence, I don't think I’d be allowed to use all the cussing to be honest.”

And Lena giggles - _giggles! -_  and hates herself for that. But Kara smiles, and feels warm and safe and maybe - maybe she could try. 

“Do you have plans for tonight, Kara?” Lena drops, casually.

“Oh… yeah, I do!” she grins, shyly, and looks pleased. 

_Damn._

“Anything special?”

“I’m going on a date.” Kara nods, almost in disbelief. Lena freezes, lips parted. She was not expecting that. Kara’s never mentioned anyone, but of course she would be dating someone. There’s no way in hell Kara Danvers is single.

“It’s a first date, actually. Mike and I have been… tiptoeing around this thing, and we almost - _almost -_  kissed last night, long story. Anyway, he’s been very nice and he’s very much into me-“ Kara lets out a nervous laughter- “or so I’ve been told. So yeah, we're going to the cinema.”

“That sounds _great,”_ Lena hopes the pitch of her voice didn’t sound as high to Kara as it did to her, “Well, I hope you have a nice time.” 

“Thank you, Lena” Kara lowers her shoulders, feeling a little more relaxed now that she got what she needed and can finally let Lena get on with her evening “I’m sorry I dropped by so late.”

“Not at all.” Lena smiles again, and pretends her heart didn’t just shatter in her chest.

\- - - 

It doesn't take too long for her to figure out the location of the lab. It’s a little harder to convince her driver she’s going to take the car. 

“Miss, you haven’t driven since you got your license…” he tries to argue, but Lena ignores him, and pulls the keys from the pocket of his jacket.

“Take the rest of the evening off, Stewart. I’ll see you tomorrow."

“But-“

She cuts him off with a cold glare she’s learnt from her mother, and that she regrets the moment she steps inside the car. 

\- - -

**Tuesday, 7:34pm**

Driving is easy. If anything, it's relaxing. At least outside National City - the peak hour traffic almost drove her crazy when she left L-Corp. But now she’s in the middle of nowhere, the headlights of her car are the only thing illuminating the road. If she weren’t going towards the pace where she almost got killed, she could even say she's enjoying the trip. 

She turns the radio on. It’s playing a song by Hozier from a couple of years ago, when everything was a little easier, if not happy. 

Lena can't help wonder what she will find in the crater left by the explosion

\- - -

There’s more than she expected.

The concrete Lex used to build the structure resisted the impact. The lab is still standing, although all the machinery is irreparably damaged. Which is good. Very good. Lena remembers how one of Lex’s devices had reduced Kara on her knees. If anything survived, she’ll destroy it herself.

“I’ve been waiting for you all day.” The voice behind her makes her bones chill.

“Lilian” she breathes out as she turns towards her mother.

“I can’t tell you how disappointed I am in you, Lena,” Lilian says as she walks closer, “Turning your back to your family like that.”

“You were never my family,” Lena seethes.

“I’m glad we agree on that.” 

Lilian takes another step towards her, and her first instinct is to take one backwards. But she doesn’t. Lilian towers above her. 

“I bet I’m not as disappointing as Lex not giving you access to his weapons,” Lena remarks. 

Lilian’s eyes shine with a flash of anger for a moment.

“Cyborg Superman” she order “Get her hand on the case with the Black Mercy, even if you have to cut if off.” 

Lena’s eyes go wide for a moment, and she turns to run away, but the Cyborg is right behind her, and easily blocks her. Her wraps his arms around her and lifts her from the ground, while she’s kicking and tossing, trying to free herself.

“Quickly, she must be almost here” Lilian warns, and the Cyborg takes Lena toward a glass case that’s miraculously intact. “This is the only thing that survived from this base, and I’m not going to leave it here."

The Cyborg forces Lena's finger on the DNA lock and the case open with a hiss. The plant doesn't move.

“Excellent” Lilian comments, then looks up the sky.

“She won't come,” Lena scoffs.

“Oh, she will,” Lilian argues “I made sure her little friends knew we have you.”  

“What makes you think she’ll come for me?” 

Lilian gives her a puzzled look, almost as if the answer was too obvious. She almost replies when Supergirl lands heavily behind her.

“Let her go!” she shouts.

“As you wish.” Lillian shrugs. To Supergirl’s surprise, Cyborg Superman complies immediately, throwing Lena to the ground.

“Lena!” Kara can't help a worried cry, and rushes to check on her friend. Lena's hit her head, and her eyebrow is bleeding.

“Who would have thought,” Lilian sneers, “your weakness turned out to be... my daughter. At least she’s useful for something.” 

Supergirl holds Lena in her arms and looks up at Lilian, shooting laser beams right in front of her feet in a fit of anger.

“Don't you dare” she shoots again, forcing Lilian to take another step back, “talk about her like that."

“Hey,” Lena mutters, regaining consciousness. She’s still dizzy from the hit, “Mh, I thought you had a date?”

Kara looks down at her, panicked. “W-what?”

“Oh, shit” Lena lets out, realising what she's just said “I-I’m sorry.” 

That’s when Supergirl gets hit. The Cyborg punches her right in the face and send her flying against a wall. Kara quickly stands up again, and charges towards the semi-human. They're so fast, Lena can barely discern one from the other. The fight is a blur, until Supergirl is sent to the ground, the Cyborg holding her by the neck.

“Thank you, daughter” Lilian appears at Lena’s side, holding the black mercy in her hands “You're dismissed.” 

Lena freezes in place. Her mother is going to use the Black Mercy on Supergirl and there’s nothing she can do. And Kara… God she looks so terrified. Lena’s never seen Supergirl’s eyes filled with such pure terror. And Lena knows what the plant does, she knows whoever is victim of its tentacles will be lured into a perfectly happy dream they’ll never want to leave.

_Doesn't seem so terrible after all_ , she thinks.

But Kara has so much to lose, and so does the world if Kara’s not in it. While Lena… 

“No!” Lena shouts, and leaps forward. Before Lilian is close enough to Supergirl to place the plant on her chest, Lena puts herself between her mother and the hero, and grasps on Lilian's hands.

“I’m sure I won't see you where I'm going,” she spits out, the forcefully pulls the Black Mercy towards herself.

“Lena, no!” Kara yells, and finally uses her heat vision on the Cyborg's face. He leaps back, half of his face melted, his circuits exposed. 

Kara pushes Lilian away from Lena, but it’s too late: the plant is slowly wrapping its branches around her chest, on her neck, on her arms.

“Lena,” Kara whines again, “Why… why you… dummy!"

A helicopter is flying above them. Lilian and the Cyborg somehow disappear, but Kara doesn't care. She’s not leaving Lena's side. She brushes her hair form her face, trying to comfort her how she can.

“You hear that, Lena?” she whispers “That’s Alex. We’re going to take you to the DEO. We’re going to pull you out.”

But Lena doesn’t move, a peaceful expression on her face. Sleeping. 

She looks happy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DRAMA! EXTRA! WHOOOOOOOOP!
> 
> no beta. (In fact, sorry one of the timestamps was wrong on ch 1 oops everything happens the day after 2x12 basically)

**Tuesday, 11:13pm**

 

 

“How long do we have?” Kara asks as J’onn helps her lay Lena on the bed in the lab.

“We don't know yet” Alex admits “She’s human, there’s a possibility she’ll last less than you.” 

Alex immediately regrets her choice of words, seeing Kara’s devastated expression. 

Winn barges into the lab with Mon-El. “What happened?” he asks “We came as soon as we could.” 

“Kara, are you alright?” Mon-El says, noticing the marks of a hand on her neck.

“I’m fine, I’m…” she can’t finish the sentence. Her throat is closing, her eyes are filling with tears.

“Hey, hey, it's going to be ok” he gets closer and pulls her into a hug. Kara tries to find comfort in it, but she finds herself pushing him away.

“It’s not ok!” She cries “She did it to protect me! She pulled the Black Mercy against herself so Lillian wouldn’t- this is _my_ fault.”

“She did what?” Mon-El scoffs “She’s human, why would she do something so dumb?"

“People do that for the person they-“ Alex hesitates “for their friends.”

“Alex, I want you to plug me in.” Kara decides, ignoring him.

“Kara, I agree that we should send someone to rescue her, but it can't be you,” her sister argues.

“I agree,”J’onn jumps in “We can't risk you to this. Doesn't she have a someone else we can call? Someone closer? You’re just a friend after all, we’re not even sure your bond is going to be strong enough to pull her out."

Kara bites her lips, and looks at Lena. “She… she doesn’t have anyone.” Alex and J’onn look at each other: they know Kara too well to pretend she won’t do anything to save her. They watch her step closer to Lena and place a kiss on her forehead, then whisper: “I’m coming to get you.”

\- - -

**Wednesday 00:03am**

Kara’s laying on the bed where Alex once was. The device Maxwell created for them took some time to re-activate: Winn’s been working on it for half hour, and Kara can't help thinking that Lena would have probably sorted it in ten minutes.

“Ok” Winn gives the machine one last check “I think we're ready."

“Good” Kara promptly lays down, impatient.

“Hey, hey, one second, wait,” Mon-El objects “what happens if something goes wrong?”

“Nothing,” Kara hurries to say, and pulls the device form Winn’s hands.

“Nothing?” he checks, looking around the room.

“Well, there’s a chance that…” Winn hesitates.

“It may fry my brain,” Kara shrugs, “but it’s not going to happen.”

“What? And you're going to do it anyway? Kara, please!” he begs. When he realises Kara won't change her mind, he pleads to Alex, “Alex, I can't believe you agree with her!”

“We have spoken extensively about this,” she admits, “and even if I don't agree… I’ve done it myself in the past. I can’t tell Kara not to do it.”

“But that was to save _her!”_ Mon-el says.

“We don't get to decide who's worth saving and who’s not, Mon-El,” Alex seethes, “that’s why Kara’s a hero, and you’re not.” 

“I am a hero!” he argues, clenching his fists, “Kara, I won't let you do this!"

“You won’t… ok,” Kara purses her lips, thinking she doesn't have time to be so disappointed in him right now “Get out of here before I punch my way through your entitlement to get permission to save my friend!” 

“What…” he gapes, and is about to put his hands on Kara’s shoulders when J’onn stops him.

“She’s made up her mind, dude” he says.

Kara pushes the metal ring around her head and the black visor over her eyes. Alex gives her one last nod before she pushes the switch to plug her in.

\- - - 

There’s a long moment when everything feels empty. Kara worries the device might not be working properly and she’ll be locked in a limbo for the rest of her days. Which won’t be too many if she can’t eat. In fact, she's already feeling a little hungry. At least the thought of food reassures her that her consciousness is still alive and kicking.

“Glad my brain is not fried,” she mumbles to herself.

She instinctively looks down at her own hands, almost to check if her physical form came with her. 

It did.

“Let’s go then” she tells herself. She guesses she may as well start moving around, find out what Lena's happiness looks like. So far… there’s not much to see.

Kara wonders if Lex will be there. Or if Lena’s happiest memories are set before that, before she became a Luthor. Maybe she’ll get to meet a 3 year old Lena surrounded by her natural parents. It's going to be hard to pull out a baby. How is she going to convince her to come back to reality? To a city that hates her and her name, always ready to watch her fall, constantly expecting the worst from her? How will she find the courage to tell baby Lena that she must come back to a world where her surviving family is in jail and tried to kill her?

And what argument is she going to use? Come back for your company? Come back to make a difference? Lena must be so tired of trying. Trying to convince everybody that she’s not evil, that she's not like the other Luthors. 

_Why is it so dark in here?_

Kara wanders in what’s supposed to be Lena's happy place, but all she finds is a long corridor with doors on either sides. She tries to push one open: locked. She tries another one, and another one: they’re all locked.

_What does this mean?_

She remembers clearly, almost painfully, how rich in details her dream was. Sharp and colourful and so real. But apparently finding happiness in Lena’s memory is proving to be hard even for the Black Mercy. Kara feels her heart getting a little heavier.

_Maybe this means it’ll be easier to pull her out._

Finally, a glimmer of light, a door left ajar. A voice. Lena's voice.

“And who exactly are you?” she hears.

“M-my name is Kara Danvers, I’m with CatCo magazine - sort of.” 

_What?_

She frowns, confused. Surely this Black Mercy works in a different way. A door behind her cracks open. It’s almost like the plant is having a hard time unlocking Lena’s memory. Kara steps closer.

“You just missed Supergirl!”

“Oh… Golly!” 

Kara scrunches her face: she’d really hoped Lena had forgotten that one. Maybe her presence in Lena’s consciousness is messing with this realm, and memories of herself are the first to be unlocked. Maybe she got in early enough to witness how the Black Mercy finds information to build the dream. 

Another door opens.

“You’re too smart and too good to follow in her path.”

Another one.

“My office was overflowing with flowers”

“Really?”

“You didn't have to do that."

“Yes, I did”

_Last night. This is a memory from last night. Almost there._

Another one.

“Hey… I thought you had a date?” 

And then, everything is bathed in light. Kara feels her eyes burning, and the ground beneath her feet disappear. She’s floating. What was pitch black a minute ago, is now blinding white.

It takes a few moments for her eyes to adjust. When they do, Kara finds herself in a familiar place. The flooring, The table. The sofa. This is her flat in National City.

_But this is supposed to be Lena's memory._

She hears a key turning in the lock. She remembers when Alex was in her dream, her consciousness had created armed guards to keep her away. That means she can be seen. Luckily, she recognises the space and knows exactly where to hide. There's a panel between the living room and the bedroom, and she runs behind it.

The door opens and Lena comes in, carrying a couple of shopping bags filled with groceries. And behind, with a little girl on her shoulders and a big dog on a leash, is… Kara. 

_'Oh Rao is that how a look like?'_ Kara thinks, watching herself bending on her knees so the girl can pass under the door. Lena puts the groceries on the table and turns to grab the girl from Kara’s shoulders so she can remove her coat. The dog happily barges into the living room and plops on the armchair, while Lena kisses the girl on her forehead. 

“Mom!” the girls protests, rubbing the lipstick form her face.

Kara smiles at the thought that Lena's happiest place includes a daughter and a big dog. And, apparently, Kara’s flat? 

The other Kara - that’s how she’s going to call her from now on - kneels down to remove the girls’s shoes, then picks a colouring book from her bag and says: “Why don't you sit on the sofa, and mommy will be with you in a minute to help you colour this, mh?”

The girl has dark hair and blue eyes, and Lena's accent. The freckles, thought, she must have got them from the father. Her skin is not as milky as Lena’s. 

“Ok” the girl replies, and to Kara’s surprise, she starts floating towards the sofa.

“Hey, what did mommy say? We don't use our powers unless we need to help someone!"

The girl puffs, impatient, but promptly drops to the floor and covers the remaining space running. Kara is more confused than ever. Is the girl an alien?

“I don’t blame her” Lena comments “If I had powers I’d be using them all the time.”

She steps closer to the other Kara and rests a hand on her hips like it’s the most normal thing to do. How come the other Kara doesn’t flinch? Kara would definitely flinch. And blush. In fact, she’s blushing right now! 

But the Lena leans over, and kisses the other Kara, and oh- it’s not exactly a peck. It’s slow and deep and there’s way more tongue than Kara would expect. And the other Kara seems pretty ok with it, in fact, she looks happy. And Lena seems even happier.

And Kara wonders if it's possible to feel jealous of herself. 

Lena runs her hand over the other Kara’s arm, and Kara feels her stomach flutter and her heart explode. She finds herself wanting to know what it feels like. She feels the-

“Mommy!” a voice interrupts her train of thoughts “You said you were gonna colour with me. Come on!” 

The girl is holding her by her cape - she now realises she’s still in full Supergirl gear - and pulling her towards the sofa.

_Mommy? I’m the other parent?_

“Come!” the girl keeps pulling, and sure she's got the pout down, mixed with Lena’s imploring eyes. A lethal weapon.

“Who’s there, sweetie?” Lena calls, a little worried. The girl is standing close to the panel and the cape she's pulling is definitely giving Kara away, so she walks out.

“Lena,” is all Kara manages to say.

Lena looks at Kara and then at the other Kara, who’s now standing a step behind her. 

“Who are you?” she asks, defensive.

“Lena, it's me, Kara.” She doesn't even try to hide her identity anymore.

“You're not me!” The other Kara steps forward and between them.

“I don’t want to fight” Kara puts both hands in front of her, defensively, as her doppelganger raises her fists “I just want you to get out of here.”

“Why would I do that?” Lena raises and eyebrow, and crosses her arms.

“Lena, this isn't real,” Kara explains, “you have been attacked by the Black Mercy, this is a dream. It creates the perf-” 

“Do you think I don't know where I am?” Lena scoffs, between amused and defeated.

“You… do?” Kara frowns.

“Yes, unfortunately. I can’t wait for my consciousness to fade away, to be honest. But for now I’m perfectly aware of what’s happening.” She looks down, sheepishly. She looks more embarrassed than upset. 

“So you know this is supposed to be your perfect world?” Kara lets out, confused.

“…yeah.” Lena sighs, still looking away, “well, I admit this is not exactly how I wanted you to find out.”

The other Kara leaps forward and catches Supergirl unprepared: she punches her, sending her flying against the wall, and taking down a bookshelf in the process. 

“Please leave, Kara” Lena pleads. The doppelganger charges again, and Kara barely has time to bolt to one side and avoid her kick. 

“Lena!” Kara screams, flying up to avoid another punch that lands on the kitchen. An entire cupboard falls to the ground. Her opponent may look like her, but it’s not her, so Kara decides she needs to attack back. 

To her surprise, the other Kara is not nearly as strong as she is. She lands a punch to her stomach, and pushes her elbow on her back. The girl falls to the ground. She stands up again, but Kara easily kicks her back down. Her chest cracks a little, and the skin on her face starts peeling. She stands up once more, and stumbles forward, ready to attack again.

“Lena, please, stop this,” Kara begs “I don’t… I don't want to hurt her anymore."

The other Kara freezes, and so does the little girl, who's hiding behind the panel, as well as the dog on the armchair that’s been barking madly since the fight started.

“Why are you doing this, Kara?” Lena asks.

“Because this is not real, and you know it!” Kara replies “Come back! This thing is going to kill you.” The look on Lena’s eyes is so tired and hollow, it almost says _let it kill me then._ But Kara continues: “I have been under the Black Mercy, I know how it feels. I almost left everything I had, everything I loved, for a _dream._  A dream that won't last more than a day!” Lena doesn't reply, she just looks at Kara like she's ruining everything. “You’re still controlling this dream, it’s not too late. The more you stay here, the more-“

“I have nothing to go back to, Kara” Lena cuts her off, “my family’s in jail, and even if they weren’t, they’d be trying to kill me. Everyone in National City is waiting for me to turn evil. And you…” 

“So you’d rather stay here? With your… fake family?”

“It’s already starting to feel real, Kara,” Lena argues, “just a little longer, and I won't even know which one of you is the true one.”

“You’re only dreaming of me because I’m here! There must be a glitch, my presence in your subconscious is messing with the Black Mercy. For all you know-” 

“Is that what you think this is?” Lena raises an eyebrow, and lets out a short laughter.

“Of course, there’s no way your happiest scenario is…” her words die in her throat when she sees the look on Lena’s eyes. 

“Just… just let me have this one thing, Kara,” Lena mutters, “I’m not asking you for anything else.”

Kara feels a sudden anger surging inside her. She didn't plug herself into a Black Mercy dream again just to leave Lena there. There’s no way in hell she's going to lose another person she loves.

_What?_

The thought forms in her mind before she can fully process it, but its clarity is undeniable.

“No.” Kara says, defiantly.

“I get that you have to try. You’re a hero, after all. But-“

“I don't _have to_  try. Don’t you see how selfish you are?” Kara bursts out “You’re going to be here with your- apparently with _our_  little family, you're going to be happy. And you’re just going to leave me? Without even giving me a chance?”

“A chance?” Lena frowns “To do what? To save me?”

“A chance to be with you!” Kara all but cries out, and steps closer “Why? Why did you think this would be a better solution?” There are tears in her eyes now. “I know this dream will go exactly as you want it to. I know this is perfect, I can’t promise you perfect. But I can promise you  _real.”_

Lena swallows, and worries her lips between her teeth, unconvinced.

“You'd say anything to get me out of here,” she shrugs.

So Kara kisses her. Angrily. Desperately. “Does this feel the same to you?” she breathes out before she kisses her again, and again “Do _I_  it feel the same as her-” and again- “to you?” 

Lena takes in a sharp breath, shaking a little. “N-no” she mutters.

“How does it feel?” Kara hisses, holding her by the collar of her blazer. And Lena looks down for a moment, then up again, into Kara’s eyes.

“It feels real.” 

“Do you know why?” Kara scoffs, releasing her, “Because the Black Mercy works with your memories and desires, it builds a dream from your perception. And she-“ Kara points to her double, laying still on the floor- “she only loves you as much as you love yourself, as much as you _think_ I can love you,” o _h she’s furious_ , “but you clearly have no fucking idea how much I love you.” 

\- - - 

**Wednesday, 00:08am**

“What’s happening?” Alex yells as Kara’s hands clench around the metal bed, crumpling it. Lena’s body is shaking, her eyes fluttering.

“Pull her out!” Mon-El orders, trying to sneak out of J’onn’s grip.

“It’s ok” Winn reassures him “their vitals are still within the norm, just a spike in the heart rate. Could be a good sign.” 

“Or a bad one!” The Daxamite objects. 

“You know, for someone who’s seen what Kara can do,” Alex comments “You have very little faith in her."

“This has nothing to do with her powers!” He argues.

“If you think her powers are all there is to Kara, you’re damn wrong,” she seethes, “and you don't deserve her.” 

Kara’s body jolts on the bed and her back arches. She gasps for air.

“Kara!” Alex leaves the monitor to run to her sister’s bed, who’s now sitting up, trying to catch her breath. Kara pulls the helmet from her head, eyes wide open, still readjusting to reality.

“Did I make it?” she breathes out “Did I bring her back?”

Winn goes back to the monitors, and watches the line move up, slowly. “Looks like she’s coming out of the REM phase” he comments. Kara jumps down to stand at Lena's side. The Black Mercy withers slowly, its tentacles retract and the leaves droop. 

“I think you did” Alex wraps an arm around Kara’s shoulders, and places a kiss on her temple as tears roll down Kara’s cheeks. The plant finally pops up from Lena’s chest, dry and grey, then falls to ground, limp. 

Lena’s eyes open just enough to let some light in. She listens to the voices in the room with a grimace.

“Her senses are going to be heightened for a bit” Kara whispers, remembering what happened to her, “we should get out of here, give her time to wake up."

Alex nods, and Winn turns the machineries off before he follows J’onn, who’s still holding Mon-El. Kara is about to leave too when she feels a tug to her cape. 

“Kara.” Lena’s voice is weak, barely a whisper. Kara turns, slowly, and catches her hand to hold it. She sits on a stool close to the bed. 

“Hey” she says, with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

“I guess I should thank you,” Lena says, and it almost sounds like a question.

“I know you wanted to stay there,” Kara replies, “I was selfish. But I won’t apologise for not letting you die. Your life is worth saving.” 

“It was a moment of weakness” Lena admits “I shouldn’t have… I don’t even know why I want happiness when I've been trained to desire success my entire life” she shrugs a little, and her grip on Kara’s hand weakens.

“You deserve to be happy, Lena!” Kara argues, almost offended. She doesn’t let go of the woman's hand, instead she squeezes it a little harder, “We… we could be happy, if you’re willing to try.” 

Lena’s eyes dart up to look into hers, surprised.

“Y-you remember your dream, right?” Kara checks, suddenly self-conscious.

“I do” she replies after a quiet, thoughtful moment. 

“I’m not sure we can make a baby, though” Kara jokes, and Lena lets out a chuckle that’s both sad and relieved.

“Anne…” she whispers, and tears fill her eyes “I know she wasn't real, but… I…”

“I know how that feels” Kara says, regretting her joke immediately “when I was attacked by the Black Mercy, it created a perfect replica of Krypton. My parents were there, my family… when Alex pulled me out, I lost them all over again. You need to grieve, even if it wasn’t real.”

Lena nods, trying to make sense of her emotions.

“You're real, though” she says “you felt real, even there.” 

“Yes,” Kara confirms, “and I’m not going anywhere."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THEN THEY KISS THE END.


End file.
